You probably already know that Vital Reset is one of the first legal, regulated and licensed service centers in the world, but what do you know about the founders?
Well say “hello” to Heidi Venture and John Nelson, the founders and owners of Vital Reset! As partners in both business and life, they are strong believers in the healing power of “magic mushrooms” as a tool for self-discovery, emotional wellness, and personal growth. Not only have they seen transformative change in their clients but have also seen and experienced profound changes in themselves.
It all started when Heidi was desperate for a release from a lifetime of Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD). Ever since her 20s she had been on multiple prescriptions which not only affected her work as a consultant, but also her personal relationships. Heidi searched for remedies that her doctors couldn’t offer, which led her to explore the use of plant medicines. It was March of 2020 when she finally found an “underground” guide that could help her, and that’s when Covid-19 hit, and the world suddenly stopped.
John was retired and a recent widower, dealing with the loss of his wife from breast cancer. The years that they had spent fixing up the house in Vancouver suddenly felt wasted and pointless. Everything in the house, and even the house itself reminded him of her. Like many people who lose a spouse, John didn’t realize he was dealing with grief, trauma, and a deep sense of loss. He had been trying to find a friend or companion by using an online dating site but had no luck. That is until he was matched with Heidi.
It started off innocuous at first, both testing the water, neither ready to fully commit. They both had separate lives but would talk to each other on the phone daily. When the pandemic hit, and the world was turned upside down, no one knew what would happen. Friends and even extended family became strangers, and the everyday face-to-face interaction that most people take for granted was looked on as possibly life-threatening. Heidi’s “underground guide” ended up going so far underground that they were unreachable for nearly two years. The only thing that Heidi and John had was each other, and a curiosity to see where they could go. Guide or no guide, they decided that they could be psychedelic guides for each other.
They both decided on an eight-gram (8g) trip (and yes, that’s a lot), Heidi lay on the couch in John’s living room. John kept a supportive and loving space for Heidi. Heidi ended up laughing hysterically for two hours as John watched over her, as the mushrooms did their work, repairing her neurons and receptors, breaking down emotional barriers and years of resistance. By the end, they smiled at each other, ate some fruit, and took a long well-deserved nap.
Afterwards, Heidi’s TRD symptoms disappeared. The depression that once had been debilitating was simply gone. For John, a subsequent journey later that month allowed him to see his life’s path more clearly. It gave both their lives a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. The mushrooms not only gave them their individual lives back, but also gave them each other.
Their journey was so profound that Heidi enrolled in a facilitator training program at the Synaptic Institute, but in even in 2022 there were no plans for licensed places to practice near her home in Hood River. Their answer was to create their own psilocybin service center, one of the first ones in Oregon. John sold the house in Vancouver and moved to Hood River to be with Heidi, and together they opened Vital Reset in July of 2023.
Since then, Heidi and John have been working to attract, support, and retain the best facilitators in the state, as well as maintaining the most caring, professional and discreet service center in Oregon. Their work at Vital Reset has helped dozens of clients find relief from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and a lack of meaning in one’s life. It’s the fulfillment of a dream for those who’ve been helped to become the helpers.
